Proverbs 22

1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, [And] loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah [Is] riches, and honor, and life.

5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

11 He that loveth pureness of heart, [For] the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve [him that hath] knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; [But] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [gain], [And] he that giveth to the rich, [shall come] only to want.

17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.

19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.

20 Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

24 Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.

26 Be thou not one of them that strike hands, [Or] of them that are sureties for debts.

27 If thou hast not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.

Proverbs 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

Verse 1 We should be more careful to do that by which we may get and keep a good name, than to raise or add unto a great estate. Verse 2 . Divine Providence has so ordered it, that some are rich, and others poor, but all are guilty before God; and at the throne of God's grace the poor are as welcome as the rich. Verse 3 . Faith foresees the evil coming upon sinners, and looks to Jesus Christ as the sure refuge from the storm. Verse 4 . Where the fear of God is, there will be humility. And much is to be enjoyed by it; spiritual riches, and eternal life at last. Verse 5 . The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous. But the way of duty is safe and easy. Verse 6 . Train children, not in the way they would go, that of their corrupt hearts, but in the way they should go; in which, if you love them, you would have them go. As soon as possible every child should be led to the knowledge of the Saviour. Verse 7 . This shows how important it is for every man to keep out of debt. As to the things of this life, there is a difference between the rich and the poor; but let the poor remember, it is the Lord that made the difference. Verse 8 . The power which many abuse, will soon fail them. Verse 9 . He that seeks to relieve the wants and miseries of others shall be blessed. Verse 10 . Profane scoffers and revilers disturb the peace. Verse 11 . God will be the Friend of a man in whose spirit there is no guile; this honour have all the saints. Verse 12 . God turns the counsels and designs of treacherous men to their own confusion. Verse 13 . The slothful man talks of a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the devil, that roaring lion within, and from his own slothfulness, which kills him. Verse 14 . The vile sin of licentiousness commonly besots the mind beyond recovery. Verse 15 . Sin is foolishness, it is in the heart, there is an inward inclination to sin: children bring it into the world with them; and it cleaves close to the soul. We all need to be corrected by our heavenly Father. Verse 16 . We are but stewards, and must distribute what God intrusts to our care, according to his will. ( 17-21 ) . To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down, and the heart applied by faith and love. To live a life of delight in God and dependence on him, is the foundation of all practical religion. The way to know the certainty of the ( proverbs 22:22-23 ) that robs and oppresses the poor, does so at his peril. And if ( proverbs 22:24-25 ) hearts have so much tinder in them, that it is dangerous to have to do with those that throw about the sparks of their passion. ( proverbs 22:26-27 ) those are not so, who, by folly or other carelessness, waste what they have. Verse 28 . We are taught not to trespass on another man's right. And it is hard to find a truly industrious man. Such a man will rise. Seest thou a man diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel. Let us then be diligent in God's work.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 10

This chapter contains an account of the queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon to her great satisfaction, 1Ki 10:1-13, of Solomon's merchandise and riches, and the magnificence of his court, 1Ki 10:14-23, of the rich presents sent to him, and of the purchase of chariots and horses, and other things, he made, 1Ki 10:24-29.